We have always been fans of The Mind of a Chef and this latest season has been no exception.Ed Lee has a refreshing quality to him that is as comfortable to watch as a home cook and this understanding of food that far surpasses his experience. It is this combination that keeps me coming back for more and makes me anxious to try his recipes.
It is an annual tradition to cook fried chicken at least once every summer season and the perfect accompaniment to any long, hot day. This year we decided to give Ed Lee’s take a try and love the asian elements he has adopted to a traditional staple recipe.
You start with an Adobo broth that both brines and simmers the chicken, par-cooking it and giving the meat a great base layer of flavour. He states in the episode that he understands that this is sacrilege to some die hard fans. He is all about exploring new ways to recreate traditional styles and I have to agree this is a great way to add flavour and cut down on frying time. If you don’t have a deep-fryer then I believe this step is essential otherwise the oil gets too absorbed into the meat and the temperature is easier to maintain over a short period of time.
You can watch his episode here.
I love the addition of the dipping sauce. I think next time I would also chop up some scallion very finely too. I served the dish with simple tart greens and some pickles and cornbread. I think next time it would be nice to carry on the asian influence and do a bunch of pickled radish.
Enjoy!
Adobo-Fried Chicken with Dipping Sauce
- Adobo Broth:
- 2½ cups
- White vinegar
- 1½ cups
- Water
- 3
- Garlic cloves, finely minced
- 4
- Bay leaves
- 1½ teaspoons
- Black peppercorns, whole
- 1 teaspoon
- Sugar
- ¼ cup
- Soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon
- Red chile flakes
- 1 teaspoon
- Salt
- Chicken:
- 2 pounds
- Chicken, thighs and/or drumsticks
- Salt
- 1 cup
- Flour
- 1 teaspoon
- Paprika
- ½ teaspoon
- Black pepper, freshly ground
- approx 8 cups
- Oil for frying, we used canola
- Dipping Sauce:
- ¼ cup
- Water
- 3 tablespoons
- Lemon juice (use fresh)
- 2 tablespoons
- Maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons
- Fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon
- Soy sauce
- 2
- Peppers, (thai bird) thinly sliced